Prince Of Valpo
Four Fathers Brewing LLC

 

$ 13.87 (Including shipping)/500 mL bottle ($ 0.372) from Tavour, Seattle, WA. Reviewed 2/17/19.
Undated bottle. Stored at 42 degrees and served at 42 degrees in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter.
Appearance – 4.
Body – Gold, clear, slight effervescence.
Head – Large (Maximum 4.5 cm, aggressive center pour), off-white, moderate density, average retention time, diminishing to a four to five mm ring fed a couple of places by effervescence and complete layer with rocks.
Lacing – None.
First pour – Light yellow, clear.
Aroma – 4 - Subdued fruitcake-like odor.
Flavor – 4 - Begins slightly sour with a bit of generic citrus. It ends with some distinct cherry flavor and some weak hoppiness. No alcohol (6.5% ABV) flavor. No diacetyl, no dimethylsulfide.
Palate – 3.5 – Medium, watery, lively carbonation.
Impression and interpretation – 4 - The odor was unexpected but no unpleasant. The flavor was very pleasing and somewhat surprising for a “wild ale”, with the expected acidity low. Overall, quite pleasing, and, after reading about cascara, the price does not seem out of line.

 

A fairly recent brewery release poured from a 500ml bottle into their signature 'hop bomb' glass.

Look- Pours a rather transparent but brilliant gold color leaving a small amount of white foam.

Smell- The first whiff is fresh hops, but it's quickly run over by the funk including sour candied fruit and band aid.

Taste- Tart fruit including currants, lemon, cherries. Some fruity hop flavor emerges after the initial sour bite followed by a tea-like flavor. I'm guessing the Cascara coming through?

Feel- Tart, but not mouth puckering with a crisp and dry finish.

Overall- A flavorful sour that isn't too over the top. It allows the dry hop addition and Cascara to shine through the funk and tartness. I'm a fan, next time I'll buy more than one.

 

 

Would love to revisit outside of a tasting but my initial impression is that this is great. Huge citra aroma, citrus / stone fruit tartness, maybe a cherry tone from cascara? Another person commented that it was like a sour Zombie Dust and I have to concur. Feel is sort of IPA like, nice bitterness in the finish. On a palate blasted by tasting many beers, I can't say I got the coffee or fruity elements of cascara ... so, again, a more thorough evaluation will have to wait.

Still, strongly recommended.